A polite response to an intemperate column

Mike Elgen of Computerworld is tiwtterpated about loss of communications on airplanes or so it seems.  In a column today he said the following:

 

"We spend billions more (after the money we spend on transportation) on taxes, year after year to fund the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Communications Commission.  We pay your salaries and pensions to ensure our flight safety (FAA) and to maximize the quality of electronic communications (FCC).   All of you are failing us. It's time to step up and do your jobs. During our in-flight time, you airlines hold us as information prisoners and incommunicado for all in-flight time and much more of the time spent in airlines on the ground.  It's the sole remaining place (besides jury duty) where millions of busy people are unnecessarily forced to sever all communications ties." (Emphasis added)

After this rather intemperate start Mr. Elgen makes some pretty reasonable suggestions.  He comments that there are pretty simple technologies which would allow cellphones and wi-fi to be universally available on airlines.  But then goes on to conclude that we should ban cellphones during flight.  Right now cellphones can be used when the wheels hit the ground on flights.  I fly a lot and would be driven bozo by being contained in the small space of a cabin and listening to inane conversations for my flight.   I once flew with Jesse Jackson on a flight from LA to Sacramento. I think Jackson wanted to impress the rest of us in First Class that he was something, so he spent the entire flight on the Verizon installed phone. His side of the conversation was spent mostly on gossip, at least as far as I could tell.   All that showed me was that he cared remarkably little for the charitable donations that he lives off of.

As to the wi-fi - my expectation is that it is likely to come and soon.   I have noticed in recent months that the airlines I fly have now begun to install powerlinks so that you can use your laptop for the whole flight.  You need a cable, but that is fine.  

The first concern on airlines should be safety.  Too often we are caught up in the hustle and bustle of our ability to communicate immediately.  We should start with a deep breath.  Understand that less than a decade ago all the crackberries and cellphones were not there is such profusion and the globe continued to turn.  But then I should admit that I am one of the first on the plane to turn on my cellphone when I have the chance after landing.